Testing Shampoo Bars - the Violet #2 edition

I've been making shampoo bars for several years and I love them. I love the convenience, I love that they're zero waste, I love that they're eminently customizable. I have a few recipes that, when I make them for the market, sell out very quickly.

Seeing that my hair has gone pretty much completely grey (I love my hair!), I wanted to test purple shampoos, specifically meant to help counteract any yellowing, or brassiness, in blonde and silver hair. That's what I've been doing this weekend. 

Obviously, one washing isn't going to make a big difference as shampoo is a wash out product but, I assume over time I should see some kind of difference. This weekend, I've made two small batches of purple shampoo bars to test. Both are based on recipes from SwiftCraftyMonkey. I won't post the percentages of ingredients as the recipes are from paid files; I will post the ingredients, though.

For full disclosure, my hair is medium length (touches my shoulder) and on the dry to very dry side. It's quite fine and every single hairdresser I've ever had has commented on just how much hair I have. I can get away with washing it once a week with no issue. 

Recipe #1 - Basic Shampoo Bars with Mango Butter

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa), Foaming Silk, Mango Butter, BTMS 50, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolyzed Keratin Protein, Panthenol (ProVitamin B5), Fragrance (Baby Powder), and Violet #2 at 0.06%

I made this one Friday afternoon, after work. After 48 hours, it's still on the malleable side but I couldn't wait to test it. HOLY LATHER!! Seriously, it lathered easily and prolifically. My hair feels great; I'm letting it air dry as our temperature is supposed to go up into the 30ºC range and it's dry here. As to whether or not it's helping with yellowness, we shall see over time. 

Recipe #1 - Basic Shampoo Bar with Violet #2

Recipe #2 - Hydrating & Conditioning Shampoo Bar

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocomidopropyl Betaine, Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa), BTMS 50, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolyzed Keratin Protein, Panthenol (ProVitamin B5), Fragrance (Namaste), and Violet #2 at 0.06%

The Violet #2 has a recommended usage rate of 0.06%; I accidentally went slightly over. I won't be able to try this one for a couple of days as I just made it this morning and it needs to harden up. I usually only wash my hair once a week but with the heat coming on, I think I'll be washing it at least once more this week. 

Recipe #2 - Hydrating & Conditioning Shampoo Bar with Violet #2

I'll update this post when I've had a chance to test Recipe #2 and when I can determine the results of using a shampoo especially for blonde and/or silver hair. 

UPDATE ON SHAMPOO BAR #2 

I did end up washing my hair mid-week. With a heat wave in place, I've been sweating a lot more than usual and felt my hair needed a wash. This one, again, is lovely but it's almost a bit too drying for my already dry hair. It needed quite a bit of after-wash conditioning. I think that, for me, this one is a no-go. For someone with oilier hair, this one might be fine. 

I do have a couple more bars I'm experimenting with, not purple shampoos, that I'm trying to perfect for my hair, along with a conditioner bar. I will keep you updated.

2024

Another market year has ended and a new one will be beginning soon. 2023 wasn't a great year as far as sales went but I know that times aren't easy for most people right now. Costs, including mine, are rising, causing increases in pretty much everything. It sucks. Hard. 

I have no intention of making this a depressing post. I can't do much about prices of supplies; I can, however, continue to make the best products I know how to make. I've decided that I will probably cut back on a few things so you may see fewer products on my table this year. 

What, you ask, will disappear? Well, my liquid soaps really didn't overwhelm so I think they'll be going on sale until they're gone. I may make some for personal use but that's about it. 

What else? Surprisingly, lip gloss. 

Yes, I said "surprisingly". I truly thought they'd be more popular than they were. By the end of 2023, I had quite a few left over even though they're a great product (I'm not a lip gloss person and I really like these!). I won't be making any more this year. Again, they'll be on clearance once the market season starts up again. 

I'm sure there will be other products we'll be thinking twice about. That said, if you have a favourite product you can't live without, let us know. We're more than happy to make custom orders. 

What can you expect to see on our tables this season? Well, soaps, of course. We're already busy making soap every weekend to get our table fully stocked. We've got some amazing new fragrances that we'll be using in soaps as well as hand/body lotions. Match a soap and a lotion for a perfect quick gift! 

Facial products have been very popular so we'll be bringing back our Instant Facials, as well as a few of our other popular face care products. If you haven't seen, or tried, the Instant Facials, you're in for a real treat! It's not a clay mask; it's more like a cleansing balm that turns into a thick, rich cream with the addition of water. Ingredients are added to turn this cream into a gorgeous, skin-loving mask that rinses off cleanly with water, leaving your skin feeling revitalized and pampered. There will be two or three varieties available; they sold out last year so you don't want to miss out!

Another popular item we'll continue making is our lip balm (as opposed to lip gloss). We have two recipes and both continue to be very popular; we won't stop making them. Our regular lip balm comes in a variety of flavours, including peppermint, orange sherbet, chocolate, and more. We've been using the same base recipe for over 20 years. Why fix what ain't broke?

Our Nourishing Nighttime Lip Masque has become a customer fave over the past couple of years. It's a rich, thick lip balm that sticks to your lips, made with the addition of lanolin and castor oil, helping keep your lips moisturized all night. Most people who use it, though, swear by it as an everyday lip balm that actually works! Me included.

I'm really looking forward to our 2024 season and I look forward to seeing all our new and usual customers. Our first market of the season is the All You Need Is Love market on February 11 at the East Kelowna Market. See you there!

Ingredient Spotlight - Marula Oil

I was perusing the internet a while back and came across numerous mentions of Marula Oil in skin and hair care. I was intrigued and decided to buy a bottle. I get it! This oil is really, really nice on the skin. My skin feels incredibly smooth and silky after applying just a few drops. A couple of drops massaged into my hair made it shine and tamed some of the flyaways. So, what's so special about this oil?

Marula oil is a nutrient-rich oil derived from the marula tree, which is native to Southern Africa. It has been used for centuries by the local people for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Marula oil is a popular ingredient in many skincare and haircare products due to its numerous benefits.

Firstly, Marula oil is rich in antioxidants, which help to protect the skin from free radical damage caused by environmental factors such as pollution and UV radiation. This makes it an excellent anti-aging ingredient as it can help prevent the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Secondly, Marula oil is also highly moisturizing, making it perfect for dry or dehydrated skin. It contains high levels of fatty acids, including oleic acid and linoleic acid, which help to seal in moisture and keep the skin hydrated.

Thirdly, Marula oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to reduce redness and inflammation in the skin. This makes it ideal for people with sensitive or acne-prone skin as it can help to soothe and calm the skin.

In addition to its skincare benefits, Marula oil is also great for hair. Its moisturizing properties can help to hydrate and nourish the hair, leaving it soft, shiny, and more manageable.

Overall, Marula oil is a versatile and beneficial ingredient that can provide numerous benefits for both the skin and hair.

Ok, so I looked into where it's available (apart from my supplier) and was apalled to discover it at Sephora for $92 for 30 ml. $92??? For 2 tablespoons???

I decided, right then and there, that I'd bottle up what I have and offer it to my customers... at a substantially reduced price. It truly is luxury in a bottle but now I can offer truly affordable luxury. No one should have to pay $92 for 30 ml. of an amazing oil... no one!